Lemming

This article is about the rodent. For the video game, see Lemmings (video game). For other uses, see Lemming (disambiguation).

Lemming
Norway lemming (Lemmus lemmus)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Rodentia
Family:	Cricetidae
Subfamily:	Arvicolinae
Groups included
Dicrostonychini – collared lemmings Lagurini 18-24 – steppe lemmings Lemmini – true lemmings
Cladistically included but traditionally excluded taxa
Arvicolini Ellobiusini – mole voles Myodini Ondatrini – muskrats Phenacomyini – tree and heather voles Pliomyini Prometheomyini

A lemming is a small rodent, usually found in or near the Arctic in tundra biomes. Lemmings form the subfamily Arvicolinae (also known as Microtinae) together with voles and muskrats, which form part of the superfamily Muroidea, which also includes rats, mice, hamsters and gerbils. They play an important role in the Arctic ecosystem, acting as grazers of mosses and grasses and as the primary prey (food) source for most Arctic carnivores. A longstanding myth claims that they exhibit herd mentality and jump off cliffs, committing mass suicide.